The Tooth & Nail Records Bloghttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog
The Official Blog of Tooth & Nail RecordsTue, 29 Jan 2013 21:19:05 +0000http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4enhourly1Farewell Underoathhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2013/01/farewell-underoath/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2013/01/farewell-underoath/#commentsTue, 29 Jan 2013 21:19:05 +0000taylorhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=261This last weekend I flew from Seattle to hang out with Underoath and see their final show at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg, FL. As Cities Burn and mewithoutYou played epic sets, and Underoath’s last performance was nothing short of incredible. It was great to bro out with the band in their hometown, talk about what a great run they’ve had, and reminisce over their years together. We’re all sad to see them go, but so thankful for the music they left us with. I took some shots from the weekend to immortalize the final show of an incredible group of musicians and people we will never forget. Click this link or the photo below to check out the photos!

Yes, we are always accepting demos! I think the best way for you to submit music to us is to send it in the mail to:

Tooth & Nail Records
P.O. Box 12698
Seattle, WA 98111

Though I should probably let you know that our bar is set pretty high. In the past we have been delivered demos in the guise of stuffed animals, stereos, an assortment of candy and food items and even an actual toilet.

Coincidentally, in one of the most interesting demo submissions of all time, the toilet was sent to us years ago by a band we just welcomed to the Solid State Family this week, Williamsport, Pennsylvania’s My Heart To Fear.

There was basically no way we could avoid listening to the music. Because there was no easy way to get rid of it, that “porcelain throne” sat in our office for weeks, and I don’t think any of us ever forgot about the day we received it. And though the band may have had to wait awhile to see the return on their creative investment, they ultimately achieved their goal: a record deal.

Not too shabby, I’d say.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/09/ask-tooth-nail-are-you-guys-accepting-demos/feed/1Ask Tooth & Nail: What Does It Take For A Band To Get Signed?http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/09/ask-tooth-nail-what-does-it-take-for-a-band-to-get-signed/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/09/ask-tooth-nail-what-does-it-take-for-a-band-to-get-signed/#commentsFri, 07 Sep 2012 23:38:58 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=251TGIF y’all! You know what that means: time for this week’s edition of Ask Tooth & Nail!

Today’s question was asked by…everyone:

What does it take for a band to get signed to Tooth & Nail? (Or some variation of this.)

Our answer:

I asked my office neighbor Adam (who I should perhaps mention happens to be one of the A&R guys here) to give me a list of his top three things that he looks for when checking out a band. These were his answers, with some color commentary by yours truly:

1. Music

This seems obvious, I suppose, but the music has to be good. The hard part is that the definition of “good music” varies from genre to genre and person to person. What I like may not be what Adam likes, and what Adam and I like might not be what a different A&R guy likes. There’s no accounting for taste, as they say. But if your band can appeal to a bunch of people – especially ones who aren’t related to you – you’re probably off to a decent start.

2. Drive

We’re not talking the movie starring Ryan Gosling – well, not in so many words. But a band should be ambitious and persistent and dedicated. What are you actively doing to further the status of your band? Playing shows? Finding ways to record your songs? Communicating with your fans? Spreading the word about your music? What are you doing to demonstrate that not only are you a good band, but that you want to be a better band? Hard work pays off. It will keep paying off. The work isn’t done once you’ve signed to a label. Our most successful bands are the most relentless. They know how to hustle.

3. Personality

According to Adam, this means you should be a Raiders fan who hates eggs and thinks the Ninja Turtles are cool. However, I would probably assert the complete opposite. But he and I can both agree that in order to be a rock star, you probably shouldn’t have the attitude of a “rock star.” We consider Tooth & Nail a family. Generally speaking, families spend a lot of time working and playing together; they support and cooperate with each other. In that sense, wouldn’t you more readily welcome people who were nice and funny and tenacious into your family than those who were condescending or lazy or…Raiders fans?

Unfortunately, there is no checklist or blueprint for what exactly we or any label is looking for in a band. Sometimes even when an artist has all these things at length, things still don’t work out. It’s a place to start though, I suppose. If you really want to be in a band, it’s going to take a lot of hard work. You’re going to have to earn your stripes. Not everyone makes it, but you might discover something about yourself in the process. And isn’t that what matters?

You know, aside from an armload of Grammys.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/09/ask-tooth-nail-what-does-it-take-for-a-band-to-get-signed/feed/3Ask Tooth & Nail: When Is The Tooth & Nail Podcast Coming Back?http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-when-is-the-tooth-nail-podcast-coming-back/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-when-is-the-tooth-nail-podcast-coming-back/#commentsFri, 31 Aug 2012 21:12:42 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=245‘Sup party people! Okay, I just want to let everyone know right off the bat that we are encroaching on what is arguably the most wonderful time of the year among our staff: football season. Can I get an amen? And as the primary updater of this blog, I feel it is my right to give a shout out to my alma mater, the University of Southern California, and my homeboy Matt Barkley. Time to take care of some unfinished business!

Alright now that that’s out of the way, this week’s question comes via Facebook from David Keller:

my question! when is the tooth and nail podcast coming back?!?! i miss Micah’s lovely face telling me the hottest new tooth and nail videos!

Our answer:

First off David, it’s not everyone who would refer to Micah’s face as “lovely,” but I’m glad you did.

Secondly, we too have come to the unfortunate realization that the number of Tooth & Nail Podcasts and episodes of Tooth & Nail TV has decreased dramatically over the past handful of months.

Well all that is about to stop now! Or at least soon. Like your favorite cable network during sweeps, we are currently in pre-production for the upcoming fall season of the Tooth & Nail Podcast and Tooth & Nail TV. Our crew is hard at work scouting locations, conducting interviews, constructing sets…very complicated stuff. But if you have any music videos you’d like included or topics to be addressed, let us know!

For now we’ll leave you with this throwback summertime episode of Tooth & Nail TV.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

Go Trojans!

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-when-is-the-tooth-nail-podcast-coming-back/feed/5Ask Tooth & Nail: What Is The Japanese Translation On Project 86’s Song “PS?”http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-what-is-the-japanese-translation-on-project-86s-song-ps/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-what-is-the-japanese-translation-on-project-86s-song-ps/#commentsFri, 24 Aug 2012 18:25:52 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=237It’s that time of the week, kids; time to ask your most pressing questions and get sometimes-vague but [hopefully] always-entertaining answers.

This week’s question comes via email from Elisamuel Figueroa:

On the song of Project 86 “PS” from the album “Drawing Black Lines,” there is a part that have a girl speaking like in Japanese. Do you guys know what it says?

Our answer:

We had to do some in-depth research on this one; I’m talking careful listening and transcribing and translator-hiring. Okay, so maybe it only involved one quick email to someone in the know, but suffice it to say, we’ve tracked down the translation of the part. It is in Japanese and basically a collection of phrases the band thought sounded interesting:
Nobody understands me
I, who know nobody understands me,
might be wise?
But when i talk with you over the phone,
for a moment I forget about myself.
I forget cause I want to forget…
I forget…
I want to forget…
I forget…
For whom does the word “Justice” exist?
To me justice is just the same with Satan,
same with Satan.
Those people are same with Satan.
I always think but that’s my life, what I can do?
What even I can do now?
I can be happy.
I want to be happy.
Would someone love me please.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

TGIF!

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-what-is-the-japanese-translation-on-project-86s-song-ps/feed/2Ask Tooth & Nail: Is Underoath working on new material?http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-is-underoath-working-on-new-material/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-is-underoath-working-on-new-material/#commentsFri, 17 Aug 2012 20:04:29 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=235TGIF friends! It’s been an exciting week here in Tooth & Nail land, what with new music from Abandoned Pools and King Felix pitching the first perfect game in Mariners history. No big deal. Anyhoo, this week’s question comes to us via Facebook.

Jesse Ø Webster asked:

Is Underoath working on new material?

Our answer:

Yes!

Sorry, that’s about all we can say at this time. For now, further information is the totally classified, you’ll have to hang from the ceiling in a controlled pressure and temperature sensitive room and wear latex masks of other people’s faces type of top secret. Like 007 Mission Bourne vs Spy stuff.

However, you should probably connect with Underoath on Facebook and Twitter if you haven’t already. You might be able to get a hint or two – decoder ring not necessary.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

PS. I am keenly aware that I mentioned last week we’d be announcing a new band this week, and that it’s now Friday and we have yet to make said announcement. I take 100% responsibility for this. Believe me, the first thing we will be doing here on Monday morning is officially presenting what most of you already seem to know. I promise!

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-is-underoath-working-on-new-material/feed/1Ask Tooth & Nail: Are There Plans To Keep Signing Bands?http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-are-there-plans-to-keep-signing-bands/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/08/ask-tooth-nail-are-there-plans-to-keep-signing-bands/#commentsFri, 10 Aug 2012 22:11:03 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=231Alright guys. I’m back! Sorry about missing last week. I was out camping in the wilderness and too busy fighting off mountain lions, catching salmon with my bare hands and constructing a shelter out of sticks and leaves to check our email and address a question for Ask Tooth & Nail.

Okay, so maybe I was just making s’mores and collecting sea glass. Whatever. Let’s get back to it!

This week’s question comes from Nels:

Are there plans to keep signing bands? I really hope so, so many of your new ones are amazing! =D

We are definitely always trying to sign new up-and-coming (or sometimes already-established) bands. Keeping our roster well-rounded and awesome is important to us. And like you, we really enjoy listening to new music. There’s nothing like discovering a band you love for the first time. It’s just so exciting and inspiring, and those feelings never get old.

Rest assured that as long as there are great new bands out there, we will continue to sign them.

In fact, there’s one in particular I’m thinking about right now. We’ll be announcing our marriage with this Arkansas-based band sometime next week. Hopefully the news won’t be too polarizing?

[Shrug.]

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

Many of us can remember our first encounter with Tooth & Nail. Whether it was through an album or a show or a music video that ran at 1am, those are memories that some people will hold onto forever. This is true of our friend Jason Hockney Zeimet who got a chance to meet and hang out with the band that started it all for him, MxPx.

Here you can watch his Travelogue and follow along with Jason as he travels to the band’s hometown of Bremerton, WA and meets with lead singer Mike Herrera for a tour of Monkey Trench Studios, talks about the band’s first 7″ release and joins in on a rehearsal session.

Pretty awesome what you can do if you put your mind to it! Where there’s a will, there’s a way and all that jazz. Do you have any sweet stories about meeting a band that changed it all for you? We’d love to hear them!

And speaking of MxPx, we might be working on a little something something for their 20th Anniversary. You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out what.

I was wondering if T&N was releasing the vinyl of Anchor & Braille’s The Quiet Life, or if another label will be. Do you know when it will be released on vinyl? Thanks!

Our answer:

YES! Anchor & Braille’s “The Quiet Life” will definitely be available on vinyl. While the album is out in stores and online this coming Tuesday, July 31st, unfortunately the LP is going to be delayed a bit. We can’t say exactly when it will be available, but the details for it are currently being sorted out. What I can say is that the artwork will be slightly different and exclusive to the vinyl version of the record. We’ll give you all the info once we’ve got it!

Shameless plug time: “The Quiet Life” is still available for pre-order now at the Anchor & Braille Store, or iTunes. Be sure to look out for it on Tuesday! It rules, and we mean that in a totally non-subjective, professional, unbiased way.

If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.

Happy Friday!

]]>http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/07/ask-tooth-nail-will-anchor-brailles-the-quiet-life-be-released-on-vinyl/feed/1Ask Tooth & Nail: How Do You Get The New Summer Sampler?http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/07/ask-tooth-nail-how-do-you-get-the-new-summer-sampler/
http://www.toothandnail.com/blog/2012/07/ask-tooth-nail-how-do-you-get-the-new-summer-sampler/#commentsFri, 20 Jul 2012 16:12:20 +0000Caseyhttp://www.toothandnail.com/blog/?p=221Our first week of Ask Tooth & Nail! I figured I would take it pretty easy: warm up, ease us into this thing. Maybe do some stretches and run a lap later.

If you have been following Tooth & Nail or any of our subsidiaries over the years, you may have noticed that every summer we try to give away some sweet music for you to sample, munch on, consume at will. Have no fear, the same is true this year! If you have been to one summer festival or another, you may have seen our pretty little Tooth & Nail Tent set up on the grounds and likely manned by Micah Dean, Taylor or Adam, a few members of our friendly and helpful staff. In fact, as we speak they are down in Enumclaw, WA at Creation West. If you’re out there or planning on it over the weekend, stop by and say hi!

Not only are the dudez there to help you with all your merchandise needs, they are also good for a laugh and can supply you with a download card that will provide you with exactly what you need to redeem some songs over at FreeToothAndNail.com. Just be sure to ask nicely and not talk smack about the Colorado Rockies to Adam. It’s been a rough season.

If you missed your chance or aren’t planning on hitting a festival this year, stay tuned. We might have a few tricks up our sleeves!

Hope this helped! If you have a question you’d like answered, leave us a comment here, tweet us @toothandnail or shoot us an email at ask@toothandnail.com and hopefully you’ll see your question here on a future edition of Ask Tooth & Nail.